“Plastic Paradox”
Dr. Sherri “Sam” Mason
Friday, October 22, 2021

Plastic provides a real paradox in the world of material science. It is incredibly strong but without the mass that similar strength materials usually possess. In addition, it is very moldable so that you can contort it into a myriad of common place, super-utilitarian items. The versatility and durability of plastic allow it to be used in place of a myriad of natural materials, but these same features make it an environmental bane. Here we will explore this paradox and what it means for the waters we love so much. Much attention has been paid to plastic as an oceans issue, but increasingly we are finding that plastic flows through freshwater systems on its way from land to sea. Come hear from one of the foremost experts in the field of Freshwater Plastic Pollution.

Dr. Sherri A. Mason (aka “Sam”) earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.  She completed her doctorate in Chemistry at the University of Montana as a NASA Earth System Science scholar. While a Professor of Chemistry at SUNY Fredonia, her research group was among the first to study the prevalence and impact of plastic pollution within freshwater ecosystems. 

Sam has been featured within hundreds of mass media articles including the BBC, The Guardian, the New York Times, the Huffington Post, and National Public Radio’s All Things Considered and Studio A1. Her work formed the basis for the Microbeads-Free Water Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in December 2015. Similar legislation has been approved or is being considered at various locations internationally. Among her accolades Dr. Mason has been awarded:

EPA Environmental Champion in 2016;
Excellence in Environmental Research by the Earth Month Network in 2017
Heinz Award in Public Policy in 2018
She has recently moved into a new role as Sustainability Coordinator at Penn State Behrend.

The Gentile Interdisciplinary Lectureship at Hope was established in 2005 by faculty colleagues, former students, and friends of Dr. James Gentile. Gentile joined the Hope faculty in 1976 and served as dean for the Natural and Applied Sciences Division from 1988 to 2005, when he became president of Research Corporation, a private foundation in Tucson, Arizona, that supports basic research in the physical sciences. After retiring from Research Corporation, he returned to Hope to serve a two-year appointment as dean from July 2013 through June 2015.

Past lecturers include:

2005 Dr. Marilyn Aardema, Proctor and Gamble

2006 Dr. Kellar Autumn, Lewis and Clark College

2007 Dr. Jeremy Edwards, University of New Mexico

2008 Dr. Brett Bouma, Massachusetts General, Harvard Medical School

2009 Dr. Paul Schaap, Lumigen

2010 Ms. Sheila Tobias, Education Consultant

2011 Dr. Joaquin Ruiz, University of Arizona

2012 Dr. Barbara Given, Michigan State University

2013 Dr. Thomas Cech, University of Colorado Boulder

2015 Dr. Cherry Murray, Harvard University

         Dr. Jay Demas, St. Olaf College

         Dr. Laura Listenberger, St. Olaf College

2016 Dr. Andrew Christlieb, Michigan State University

2018 Dr. Peter Agre, Johns Hopkins University

2019 Dr. Valerie Taylor, Argonne National Laboratory

          Mr. Ira Flatow, Science Friday

Dr. Mason’s visit is made possible by a gift to the Gentile Lectureship from the Kavli Foundation of Oxnard, California. The Kavli foundation is dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of humanity, promoting public understanding of scientific research, and supporting scientists and their work.